AMB Reviews

City Of Ember: 7.5/10 Stars

Release Date: October 10, 2008

Content Advisory: Rated PG for mild peril and some thematic elements. The topic of the end of the world is discussed several times throughout. A large and vicious like mole chases the two main characters, and kills a man (offscreen). Several guards chase two teenagers and those same teens eventually are taken on a theme-park type ride down a water chute in a three-person boat.

Review:

Back one month ago when this film came out, I wouldn't even give a second thought to it. Although the trailers seemed intriguing, I had much better things to do with my time than watch a movie I knew barely anything about. Now, a month a half later, I decided to give it a go at the local cheap theater, still knowing nearly nothing about it. Not knowing whether it would be a total waste or a total gem, I must admit that it did end up leaning towards the latter...

In Short:

City of Ember is basically an end of the world tale made for children. Ember being the name of an underground city built to protect the human race from a catastrophic event on Earth (we never officially learn what exactly happened on Earth). But, two hundred years later, Ember's generator, the city's official light source, is going out and if the two main teenagers can't find Ember's exit, the whole city is doomed. In the end, the intriguing and suspenseful storyline as well as decent acting from the two main characters make City of Ember a pretty good, family-friendly pick, despite its occasional tendency to drag along... letting us down right when we expect a bang. 

In Full:

City Of Ember begins with a group of scientists gathering together to try and conjure a way to save the human race. Although it is never announced officially what happened to Earth, it is known that it has become unsuitable for humans and that an alternate option for Earth needs to be created. Their alternative: an underground city known as Ember. Its light source is run by an insanely large generator, which is set to last 200 years. At that time, the group of scientists created a set of instructions that they locked inside a special metal box, as to guide the humans in Ember to reaching Earth once again. 

Unfortunately, not all goes as planned, and when the generator starts failing for long periods of time down in Ember, two teenagers, named Lena and Doon, but team together to find a way out of Ember together, as no one else will give them the time of day. Following a set of clues and instructions, they must escape vicious moles, engage in foot chases with the mayor's guards, and even take a ride down a frantic and colossal water chute. In the end, City of Ember is a mysterious, suspenseful, and delightful ride filled with puzzles, chases, riddles, and... an underground city. What more do you need?

Unfortunately, that is not to say that City of Ember is perfect. Although it most certainly contains several scenes capable of giving you the goosebumps, nothing ever stuck out to me as "edge-of-your-seat" suspenseful. For an "end of the world" movie, it sure lacks the chills or thrills of previous films of the same genre. Is this because of the PG rating? Mainly, yes. This is an end of the world type movie made for tweens and up. Because of this, don't expect it to be any "Independence Day." While certainly enjoyable, the plot did have the tendency to drag occasionally, as well as let you down at times, right when you expect a bang or a jump.

The acting was decent enough. Having never heard of the two main actor and actress before, I was happily surprised to see them play out their roles so nicely. Bill Murray was also humorous yet still menacing as Ember's mayor, and did his best with what he was given. The visuals were also a nice touch, with many unique shots of Ember. The ending water chute was also great, similar to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," yet with more of a fun and silly edge to it.

All in all, don't go to this film expecting another "Apocalypse" or "The Day After Tomorrow." This is aimed at older tweens and up, and although some may find it childish and monotonous, for any of those looking for an upbeat, suspenseful (for tweens), and entertaining ride... City of Ember is a solid pick. It's not perfect, but through its flaws, the makers are still able to create a thought-provoking and magical film. It's not magical enough to, per say, go down in history or win an Academy Award, but it's enough to leave both kids and adults with both something to think about and something enjoyable to savor even after the movie's end credits.